Supervisors’ committee recommends approval of several alcohol and theater licenses with conditions

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors’ Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee on March 5 recommended approval of several liquor‑and theater‑license applications, forwarding each with conditions aimed at limiting late hours, merchandising of alcohol and on‑site security.

Lieutenant Dave Falzon of the San Francisco Police Department told the committee the department had reviewed a Type 21 off‑sale application from Target Corporation for a Target Express on Bush Street and found no protest letters or letters of support, 16 calls for service at the vacant space (not related to the application), and that the site sits in an area the department classed as "high crime" and an "area of undue concentration." Falzon said the department recommended approval with conditions including restricted sales hours and limits on the percentage of retail space used to display alcohol. "Sales of alcohol beverages shall be permitted between the hours of 7AM and 11PM daily," he said as part of the conditions recommended by police.

Kisa Lu, the Target Express store manager, described the smaller urban Target model and emphasized local hiring and community giving. "Target is committed to being a good corporate partner," Lu said, and urged approval of the license for the Financial District location.

The committee also considered a Type 48 on‑sale application from LML Restaurants (Leticia Luna) to reopen and expand a former club at 1501 Folsom Street with a rooftop food component. The ALU noted 52 calls for service at that premises, mostly quality‑of‑life incidents, and recommended a suite of conditions including rooftop hour restrictions, required security apparel and staffing from 4 p.m. until 30 minutes past closing, strict prohibitions on off‑sale privileges and third‑party promoter control, noise limits and graffiti removal within 72 hours. Leticia Luna told the committee she is soundproofing the building and plans to close the rooftop earlier to avoid disturbing neighbors: "We are soundproofing the whole building."

Philip West, seeking a Type 48 for a new Treasury location on Sansom Street, described renovating a long‑unused space into a craft cocktail lounge and said the business aims for a "relaxed, comfortable, classy setting," citing prior neighborhood investments.

The committee approved a Type 64 special on‑sale general license for the American Conservatory Theater’s Strand playhouse at 1127 Market Street, with conditions restricting service methods, limiting person‑per‑sale beverage counts and requiring staff or security to ensure alcohol remains inside permitted areas. Jason Seifer, director of finance at ACT, said the Strand renovation has been under way for three years and is "expected to open in May and our first show will be in June." He described two performance spaces (approximately 300 and 125 seats) and community programs that will use the facility.

Each alcohol‑related application was recommended to the full board with conditions proposed by police and ALU; applicants indicated concurrence with those conditions. The committee took no recorded roll‑call votes, moving items forward "without objection." The committee’s recommendations will appear on the Board of Supervisors agenda for formal action on March 17, 2015.

The committee also briefly continued, to the call of the chair, a separate resolution concerning designation of Edgewood Center for Children and Families as an evaluation and treatment facility so supervisors can complete further review.